Joseph allen bean



(No Model.)

J. A. BEAN. THILL sUPPoRT.

No. 480,652. Patented Aug. 9, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH ALLEN BEAN, OF SUFFERN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OE ONE-HALE TO ROBERTBARISOI-I, OF SAME PLACE.

THlLL-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 480,652, dated August9, 1892. Application filed April 7, 1892. Serial No. 428,187. (Nomodel.) A

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOSEPH ALLEN BEAN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Suifern, in the county of Rockland and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inShaft-Holders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled'in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in shaft holders or supports.

The object of the invention is to provide means whereby the shafts canbe raised and automatically retained in an elevated posi` tion and whenfurther raised released from the retaining means; and itconsists inproviding the axle to which the shafts or tongue are clipped with an armhaving an end so constructed that it will engage with a fixture carriedby the tongue or shafts, said fixture having ratchet-teeth with whichthe arm will engage to hold the shafts or tongue in an elevatedposition, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure1 is a perspective view showing my improvement applied to a shaft. Fig.2 is a section view showing the shafts held elevated in full lines andin a position to be released from the fixture carried by one of theshafts in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of thefixture carried by one of the shafts:

A designates an axle to which the shafts are clipped in the usualmanner, the clipa also retaining in place a rearwardly-projectingbracket B, having upwardly-projecting perforated ears at its rear end,between which is pivoted an arm C, which is curved or bent so that thefront end thereof will extend for- Ward of the axle. The front end 0fthis arm is bifurcated, and the inner side of each furcated portion hasan inwardly-proj ecting pawl 5o c, the lower end of which is beveled, asshown.

Beyond the pawls the arm is extended to provide guides which embrace thefixture carried by the shaft. The lower end of the arm C is providedwith a spring CZ, which is attached to the bracket B. The tendency ofthis spring is to throw the arm C forward and hold it out of contactwith the clip when it is not in use. This spring also exerts a pressureupon the pivot which secures the arm C to the bracket B to preventrattling at the point of connection.

D designates a fixture or casting, which is secured to the curvedportion of the shaft by means of a plate e, and from said plate extendsa web f, the upper end of which is provided with laterally-extendingflanges g g to provide a T-shaped projection, as shown. The upper edgeof thisT-shaped projection is provided with ratchet-teeth h, which areinclined in the direction shown.

In operation when it is desired to retain the shafts or thills in anelevated position it 1s only necessary to lift them to the desiredelevation or until the pawl c engages the ratchet-teeth, and when soengaged the shafts or thills will be held elevated. When it is desiredto lower the shafts or thills, by further lifting them the pawls arecaused to ride upon the ratchet-plate until they are above the same,when the arm C will move toward the shaft and beneath the lianges g gand be located on each side of the web f, but, having n o positiveengagement therewith, will permit the shafts to be lowered. In a devicethus constructed it will be observed that it is not necessary tomanually manipulate the parts and that the action of the holder isentirely automatic.

Though I have shown and described myin- .vention as applied to thills,itis obvious that 1t may be applied as a support for wagontongues and forother purposes; and the invention may be modified, as it is notabsolutely necessary to provide the arm O with a sprlng, as by providinga proper stop it will act by gravity; also, it is not necessary tobifurcate the end of the arm C or provide a of the web, as a singlewould be sufficient; but 1s adopted it would be flange on each side pawland one flange 1f such construction IOO well to connect the arms C toeach other by transverse rod.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is- ;l. In a shaft-holder, the combination ofa pivoted arm carried by a rigid support, the free end of said arm beingbifurcated and provided with inwardly-projecting pawls formed integralwith the arm, said pawls being adapted to engage with a fixture attachedto the thills having a ratchet-plate, substantially as shown, and forthe purpose set forth.

2. In a shaft support or holder, the combination of arearwardly-extending bracket attached to the axle, an arm pivoted tosaid bracket and provided at its free end with a bifurcated portionhaving pawls on the inner sides, a fixture D, carried by the thills andprovided With a web, side flanges, and ratchetteeth, with which the pawlof the arm C engages, substantially as shown, and for the purpose setforth.

3. In a shaft-holder, the combination of a iixture carried by theshafts, consisting of a plate c, from which extends a web f, having,rlaterally extending anges provided with ratchet-teeth, an arm C,pivotally connected to a rear'wardlyprojecting bracket carried by theaxle, the upper end of said arm being provided with pawls and recessedor cut away beyond said pawls, and a spring d, adapted to contact withthe arm C and bracket B, adj acent to the pivotal connection of theparts, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony Whereoflaix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH ALLEN BEAN.

Witnesses:

JAMES B. CAMPBELL, NEsBITT WANAMAKER.

